- Krishna Kemmu celebrated her Kashmiri birthday, Koshur Vohurvod, based on the tithi
- Traditional prayers and dishes like Taher (yellow rice) were part of the celebration
- Rituals included tilak, mantras, kalawa tying, and offering yellow rice as prasad
Long before formal solar calendars made their way into our homes and gadgets, the Hindu community followed the Vedic timekeeping system, which tracks the movement of the Sun and Moon in relation to the Earth. Even today, the dates and auspicious timings for festival celebrations are calculated according to this calendar.
According to this calendar, a tithi is a lunar day that astrologers calculate based on changes in the positions of the Sun and the Moon. In her recent Instagram video, actor Kunal Kemmu's sister Karishma, a lifestyle creator, shared how her Kashmiri family celebrated her tithi-based birthday, called Koshur Vohurvod.
Kunal Kemmu's Sister Shares Glimpses Of Her 'Kashmiri' Birthday Celebration
"Today is my Koshur Vohurvod, which means Kashmiri birthday that is celebrated according to tithi (Hindu calendar)," she said at the beginning of her video. Explaining the ritual, she mentioned that on this day, Kashmiri families organise prayers and prepare traditional dishes such as Taher (yellow rice).
Excited, she added, "Meri pooja hogi, meri because it's my birthday." The video showed the preparation of yellow rice and prayers offered to God. Ravi Kemmu applied a tilak on Krishna's forehead, chanted mantras, tied a kalawa (sacred red thread) around her wrist, and divided the yellow rice into seven bites offered to deities before being consumed as prasad.
Jyoti Kemmu fed Karishma the first bite along with curd. The feast included traditional dishes made with paneer, nadru (lotus stem), and potatoes.
The caption read, "It's personal and best celebrated with family kyunki meri generation ko toh shayad ye sab pooja karni aaye bhi na (because my generation may not even know how to perform these rituals)."
Social Media Reactions
Many Kashmiris reached out to Karishma to wish her a happy birthday. One person noted that the traditional food featured in the video was not just food "but an emotion."
Another user appreciated Karishma for promoting her Kashmiri culture and sharing it with the rest of the world.
A third wrote, "Being a Kashmiri, I am drooling."
A fourth commented, "Nothing is more beautiful than celebrating your culture."
A fifth said, "So overwhelmed to see all the rituals. We have such a rich culture, but we know very little about it."
In July, Karishma Kemmu visited her ancestral home in Kashmir with her parents and shared what it looks like today.
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